Process for distilling or recovering naphtha or other hydrocarbons from wool-fat solutions



C. N. WILSON. V PROCESS FOR DISTILLING 0R RECOVERING NAPHTHA OR OTHER HYDROCARBQNS FROM WOOL FAT SOLUTIONS.

v APPLICATION FILED NOV-24, 1919- 1,383,585. Patented July 5, 1921.

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| m H IN amqo UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

, PROCESS FOR DISTILLING OR RECOVERING NAPHTHA OR OTHER HYDRAOCARBONS FROM WOOL-FAT SOLUTIONS.

Application filed November 24, 1919.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHRISTOPHER N. VIL- SON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lawrence, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes for Distilling or Recovering Naphtha or other Hydrocarbons from ool-Fat Solutions; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled -in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates generally to process'esfor distilling naphtha or other hydrocarbon solvents which have been used for the extraction of grease from wool, and more particularly to processes for separating the impurities and grease from naphtha or other hydrocarbon solvents which have been used for the extraction of grease from wool.

Heretofore, in the distillation of naphtha or other hydrocarbon solvents which have been-used for the extraction of grease from wool, or in the separation of the impurities and grease from such solvents, acids and other chemicals have been used with not only ineflicient results, but also with injurious effects upon the apparatus used. It

is therefore the object of the present invention to overcome these objections and to provide an inexpensive and more etlicient process for obtaining, the desired results.

lVith the above general and other objects in view, the improved process consists of the various steps and treatment hereinafter fully described and claimed.

This specification is supplemented by the accompanying drawin illustrating in a conventional manner a simple type of apparatus which may be used in carrying out the improved process.

The substance treated by this process is naphtha or some other hydrocarbon solvent which has been used for extracting grease from wool, and is in the form of a liquid containing liquid naphtha or the other hydrocarbon, grease, water, dirt and numerous impurities.

The first step in the improved process is what may be termed a natural settling step as the liquid just referred to is led by means of a pipe 1 into a tank 2 disposed in a room Where the temperature is maintained from about 75 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit, and al- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 5, 1921. Serial No. 340,085.

lowed to stand in this tank for from ten to twelve hours. During this time some of the water and dirt will settle in the bottom of the tank 2, leaving an apparently clear liqu d. Upon close examination, however, it w ll be found that this apparently clear liquid contains a finely divided precipitate which Will not settle at ordinary temperatures as did the heavier dirt and water.

Extending into the tank 2 from the top thereof are vertical pipes 3, the upper ends of which are connected to a horizontal pipe 4 and are provided with valves 5, while their lower ends terminate in different planes disposed above the bottom of the tank. By opening the valve 5 in the proper pipe 4. the above referred to apparently clear liquid may be driven out of the tank 2 without disturbing the sediment in the bottom thereof. This sediment may subsequently be removed from the bottom of the tank by means of the p pe 6 arranged at the bottom thereof. The pipe 4 is connected to a coil 7 disposed in a tank 8 which is supplied by a continuous flow of ice cold water by an inlet pipe 9 and an outlet pipe 10. The liquid passing through the coil 7 surrounded by the ice cold water will undergo an initial cooling, being removed of its latent heat.

Disposed in a refrigerator room 11 is a secondary cooling tank 12 having chambers 13 and 14 at its end communicating with each other by means of a plurality of pipes 15. Circulating through the intermediate portion of the tank 12 between the chambers 13 and 14 and around the pipes 15 is ice cold water, the latter being admitted to and drawn from the tank 12 by means of pipes 16 and 17 respectively. The outlet end of the coil 7 is connected by means of a pipe 18 with the tank 12 at the chamber 13 there of. After passing from the chamber 13 through the pipes 15 to the chamber 14 the liquid is conveyed to a 'secondary settling tank 19 by a pipe 20.

This tank 19 is similar-in construction with the tank 2, the inlet pipe 20 being con nected to the upper end of the tank. and the latter being provided with an outlet pipe 21 at its lower end and a number of vertically extending pipes 22, which are connected at their upper ends to ahorizontal pipe 23 and provided with valves 24, and which have their lower ends terminating in different planes above the bottom of the tank 19. The

-tively high temperature.

tank 19 is disposed in a room of ordinary tem erature. j

T e liquid having been chilled by passing through the coil 7 and through the cooling tank 12 the above mentioned finely divided precipitate, water and other impurities which havethus been congealed, will settle to the bottom of the tank 19, leaving a transparent liquid thereabove. This liquid can be drawn off by means of one or more of the. pipes 22 without disturbing the sediment at' the bottom of the tank. When desired the sediment may be drawn off by means of the pi i e 21.

he clear liquid obtained as a result of the secondary settling step just described is led by the pipe 23 and branch pipes 24 into a still 25 and supplied to shallow pans 26 disposed therein. Arranged in the still 25 is a coil of steam pipes 27 by which the contents of the still is heated and kept at a compara- The heat wvill volatilize the naphtha or Whatever hydrocarbon solvent is contained in the liquid, and as this gas is heavy, air or some of the gas from a different source is circulated through the still by passing through an inlet pipe 28 and an outlet pipe 29 to drive the heavy gas out of the still through the outlet pipe 29 and into a condenser 30 in which the gases are condensed.

The residue left in the pans 26 is fat or grease which was extracted from the wool, and bein practically in its natural state it is very va uable for use as a leather dressing, a lubricating oil or for numerous other purposes. The wool fat is discharged from the pans 26 into the bottom of the still through valved outlets 31, a'1'id from the still through a valved outlet 32.

If desired, the liquid which comes from .'the natural settling tank may be passed through some kind of weighting salt such as calcium chlorid or sodium sulfate (Glaubers salts). Such treatment will expedite the precipitation of the objectionable matter.

The fact that the naphtha or hydrocarbon solvent may be distilled ofi from the wool grease without the use of acids enables the grease to be refined in such a manner that it is adaptable for use in many trades. It also makes. the process an inexpensive one, and one which will not be destructive to the apparatus used.

WVhat is claimed is:

1. A process for the distillation of naphtha or other hydrocarbon solvents which have been used for the extraction of grease from wool, consisting of subjecting the liquid containing the solvent'and the grease 2. A process for the distillation of naphtha or other hydrocarbon solvents which have been used in extracting grease from wool, consisting of subjecting the liquid containing the solvent, grease and other impurities to cold, then allowing the liquid to stand in an atmosphere of ordinary temperature to allow the substances congealed by being subjected to cold to settle, and finally volatilizing the solvent out of the liquid by the application of heat.

3. A process for the naphtha or other hydrocarbon solvents which have been used in extracting grease from wool, consisting of allowing the liquid containing the solvents, grease and other impurities to stand in order 'to permit the heavy precipitate to settle, then subjecting the liquid to extreme cold, then allowing the liquid to standin an atmosphere of an ordinary temperature until the substances congealed by being subjected to cold settle, and finally volatilizing the solvent out of the liquid.

4. A process for the distillation of naphtha or other hydrocarbon solvents which have been used in extracting grease from wool, consisting of allowing the liquid containing the solvent, grease or other impurities to stand in an atmosphere of ordinary temperature until the heavy precipitate has settled, then removingthe latent heat from the liquid, then subjecting the liquid to extreme cold to congeal the water and other impurities contained therein, then allowing the liquid to stand in an atmosphere of an ordinary temperature to allow said congealed substances to settle, and finally volatilizing the solvent out of the liquid.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

CHRISTOPHER N. WILSON.

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